Dorothy Hoffner (104), who recently held a record as the world’s oldest free faller, died in her sleep on Monday at her home in Chicago.
RNews previously reported that Hoffnet left her ring behind on October 1 just before she boarded the Skyvan plane.
Hoffner free-falled for the first time when she was 100 years old. When she free-falled as a 100-year-old, she had to be pushed out of the plane. However, when she was strapped to a certified instructor from the American Parachute Association that day, Hoffner insisted that she lead the jump. She was calm and confident as she shuffled to the open door and jumped into the air.
According to The Metro News Hoffner was found dead by staff at Broodale Lake View Retirement Home. She is believed to have died on Sunday night.
A spokesperson for Skydive Chicago and the American Parachute Association told the newspaper they were honored that Hoffner’s final jump ended her “exciting, good life.”
“Freefalling is an activity that most of us only keep on our bucket list,” said the spokesperson. “But Dorothy reminds us that it’s never too late to take on the excitement of a lifetime.”
The New York Times reports Hoffner was initially not excited about all the attention she attracted in the media, but by the weekend she “viewed it as an opportunity to meet new people”.
The nurse, who has known Hoffner for about five years, said on Tuesday that the cause of her death is not yet known.
